For the record, I loved the GRC, especially because of how open the paddock was and it was just a really good show all around. I'm hoping this has a similar feel.
I'm definitely planning on going to the event at the FIRM this December.
Remember Red Bull Global Rallycross, that short-lived rallycross series that made stops at tracks Daytona, but suddenly fizzled out in 2018?
Well, a new series has popped up: Nitro Rallycross (brought to you by the same folks that head up Nitro Circus), and it even has its own schedule and ambitious promises for the future.
The first event scheduled is at Utah Motorsports Campus in Salt Lake City, Utah, September 24-25, followed by four more events loosely scattered across the country. It’s that last event on the calendar that stands out to us, though, as it takes place at the Florida International Rally and Motorsports Park—the official test track of Grassroots Motorsports—December 4-5 in Starke, Florida.
The series is planning a 10-race schedule for 2022 that will include a winter race in Canada, as well as events in Europe and the Middle East. An all-electric SUV class is even said to be in the works.
So, is this a series that will stick around, or will it suffer the same fate as the Red Bull Rallycross before it? And maybe we'll see you at The FIRM this fall. (Anyone need a driver?)
Visit nitrorallycross.com for more information.
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For the record, I loved the GRC, especially because of how open the paddock was and it was just a really good show all around. I'm hoping this has a similar feel.
I'm definitely planning on going to the event at the FIRM this December.
Colin,
You forgot the ARX series. Closest I've ever come to getting hit by a race car was at the ARX round at COTA.
I have a merch collection from retired rallycross. I love the racing. I'd just love to see one last more than 2 years. When I worked the GRC series, you could tell that was not going to last. They were spending money hand over fist. It was interesting sitting in their driver meetings though.
In reply to bmw88rider (Supportive Dude) :
You're right, I totally forgot about that one too. We were actually discussing why these rallycross series never quite last around the (virtual) office, and the consensus so far is that there isn't a feeder series for top-tier rallycross here in the U.S. like there is in Europe.
In reply to Colin Wood :
Lack of feeder series (grc had a 2WD class for 2 years, the first year when it was called RallyCar and was 3 weekends at NJMP). Once you're starting point is a 6 figure car you become an X Games event, which is great for entertainment, but not stellar for sustainability.
Having been around it for a for the first 2, I see it as 2 issues.
What you said as there in no feeder series for these so there isn't a big demand for tickets and being a "High Energy" environment there is usually a big budget. It's not cheap to build these custom tracks and there isn't much that is existing. So they have a big expenses and small fields/crowds.
The other issue is they run a long event weekend and usually less than 20 cars so you see the same people on track multiple times all weekend. So it gets kind of long and drawn out for the average fan. Only the die hards stay for the whole event.
I'd love a grassroots W2W Rallycross series in the US.
bmw88rider (Supportive Dude) said:I'd love a grassroots W2W Rallycross series in the US.
This right here! Give me the rules, I'll get started prepping something- better yet, make it LeMons cage rules and I'll buy a car this weekend and start working on suspension.
In reply to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ :
Convince a dirt track owner to put in some right turns and stuff... Right there is a pre existing venue, competitor base, and paying spectators.
Cirle track is the direction the US went for the same demographic.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ said:bmw88rider (Supportive Dude) said:I'd love a grassroots W2W Rallycross series in the US.
This right here! Give me the rules, I'll get started prepping something- better yet, make it LeMons cage rules and I'll buy a car this weekend and start working on suspension.
I'm in.
Crosskarts would be a good feeder. Spec motor, or use one of the sxs drivetrains in a new chassis.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
I was thinking the same thing, a bomber class (4 cylinder Cavaliers etc.) on a RallyX track would be amazing. A field size double that of the normal series would make up for the lack of speed and keep the races entertaining to watch in the bottom class.
I think this picture from B13Birk's build thread shows how awesome this could be
In reply to adam525i (Forum Supporter) :
Yep! that's from my thread (thanks for checking it out by the way)
A few of us have talked about a series like that over the years - even at the firm - The closest thing is what we are doing right now with the series we are running. I do know that up north ( I believe it's NY) they run (or have run) a door-to-door bomber class. Ryan Symancek did an incredible series on Youtube called "My Life as a Rallyist" Its an amazing series and he races in a format like this in Episode 8. Go check it out!
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